Enter your email to subscribe:

The Mississippi Supreme Court rejected a call by its Commission on Judicial Performance to remove a county justice court judge from office and imposed a suspension of 90 days.

The allegations involved a criminal defendant who appeared before the judge and had a fine imposed. That afternoon, he spotted her at a gasoline station and offered her a ride. She accepted and reminded him where he knew her from. They discussed the fine. She alleged that he had fondled her and sought oral sex. She promptly complained about the behavior. The judge had told an investigator that the "devil got ahold of his tongue and made it wicked."

The court found there were improper ex parte contacts with the defendant and other court officials concerning the fine ($239) but that a "consensus" of the court did not believe that the sex allegations were proven.

In rejecting the commission's findings and recommendation, the court thanked them for their efforts.

DailyLeader.com had reported on the matter when it was pending before the court. This quote:

"I just got caught up in a bunch of junk," he said. "It's her word against mine. She jumped in the car and all we did was make the block, and there wasn't any talk about anything sexual."